Hi everyone,
I am a 20F transfer student (who transferred last spring semester) living in an off-campus apartment with three roommates that i was placed with. they have been friends for two years already and are pretty close. we get along fine, but it's more like quick hellos in passing. I feel really left out and would love to be friends with them. They always make plans in front of me- without me, and it hurts because I don't know anyone here and don’t have any friends yet, and it is notoriously hard making friends as a transfer student (I tried joining a bunch of clubs last semester – didn't make any friends lol).
I would just want to be included in their plans and conversations because I can tell that we have a lot in common, I just feel like I'm intruding and they don't want to get to know me.
I try to join conversations, but I'm the only one making an effort. If there is a conversation, they just go back to laughing with each other about something else (not about me). I would love to be their friend and let my personality show, but I'm pretty shy, and it takes me a while to open up. I'm also just worried that they don't want to get to know me and just see me as someone who shares a common area with them.
Does anyone know how to open up more, engage with them, and becomes friends? It’s really tough being the new person in a group of people who already know each other, and I’d really like to feel included and develop a friendship with them. How can I approach this situation and feel less awkward?